Yesterday, she won the Inland Empire Hound Club of Southern California all Hound show and today, the Whippet, Chanel, took the largest prize to be had this year. Leave it to a Whippet to get a head start on the 2010 rankings race. Chanel was the nation’s number one Whippet in 2009, taking home seven all breed BIS last year. Congratulation’s to breeders/owners Lori & Carey Lawrence and handler Lori Turner-Wilson.

Michelle Billings had the helm on day two of the Greater Daytona Dog Fanciers Association’s piece of the four day set in Ormond Beach FL.

CH J’Cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice

Vying for Best In Show were the Pointer, CH Solivia’s A Walk In The Crowd, the Afghan Hound, CH Genesis Silverado, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Kenro’s Happy Hour, the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH J’Cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice, the Brussels Griffon, CH Jo Li I’m A Tease, the Standard Poodle, CH Dawin Spitfire, and the Australian Shepherd, CH Arborview’s Daddy Boy.

It was 2009’s number five dog all breeds, the Smooth Fox, Dodger. Dodger finished last year with 30 top prizes. Congratulations to breeders William Dalling & Stacy Turner, and owners Sandra & Howard Hoffen and Phil & Amy Booth who does the handling.

Today’s Best In Show was 2009’s top Skye Terrier, Buddy. Buddy, who finished the year with six all breed BIS, was bred by Eugene Z Zaphiris & Matthew H Stander, is owned by Carolyn Koch & Victor Malzoni Jr, and expertly handled by Lawrence W Cornelius. Congratulations to them all.

Best In Show went to 2009’s number two Pom. While he had 14 Group firsts in 2009, we think this is his first career all breed BIS. Congratulations to breeders/owners David & Carlene Gilstrap and handler Nina Fetter.

While most of the country is shivering in record cold weather, dog fanciers in Indio CA near Palm Springs are enjoying blue skies and balmy temperatures. Yesterday saw two limited breed warm ups for this weekend’s main event, the Palm Springs Kennel Club’s two shows.

CH Cashin’s Walk The Line(Photo by Carol Beuchat)

Richard Beauchamp got to chose the BIS at the day one show of the Toy Dog Breeders Association Of Sothern California. His top four were the Brussels Griffon, CH Cashin’s Walk The Line, the Pomeranian, CH Velocity’s Shake Ur Bon Bon, the Pug, CH Jetta’s Pocket Maker By Boss, and the Silky Terrier, CH Bar-B’s Tawnymist Tobias. The Griff, Johnny Cash, was bred by Margie Hamilton & Felicia Cashin, is owned by Felicia & Carole Ross, and handled by Wood Wornall. Congratulations to them all.

CH Penndragon Masaniello

The Non-Sporting Group saw David R. Miller choose four at the Sand To Sea Non-Sporting Association Of Southern California’s day one show. He selected the Standard Poodle, CH Penndragon Masaniello, the Chinese Shar-Pei, CH Elite’s By Design, the Chow Chow, CH Charming Rockefella, and the Schipperke, CH De Lamer Pink Flamingo. Our congratulations to the Poodle, Micah’s, breeders/owners Rick & Kim Bates and handler Kim Russell.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Though we have barely put 2009 to bed, it is time to turn our attention to 2010 shows. We gave you a look at this week’s big event, the Palm Springs Kennel Club shows and the 30 something specialties and limited breed shows leading up to the weekend. However, there’s a lot going on elsewhere.

Ormond Beach FL at Sunrise

With the biting cold most of us are experiencing this week, the four day stop in Ormond Beach FL starting Friday sounds awfully inviting. The Greater Daytona & Jacksonville Dog Fanciers' Associations will host. For those willing to brave the frosty Ohio temperatures head south of Cleveland to Tallmadge OH where the Columbiana County & Rubber City Kennel Clubs will set up Friday for three days.

St Paul Winter Carnival Ice Castle

There’s two day fare aplenty. For those who love the winter weather, we recommend the Land O’ Lakes Kennel Club’s weekend in St Paul MN. New Yorkers can go up to White Plains NY for shows from the Kennel Club Of Northern New Jersey & the Saw Mill River Kennel Club. Southerners can head for Pendleton SC near the GA/TN/NC/SC border where the Clemson Kennel Club plans two shows. Finally, Texans can turn to Glen Rose TX near Dallas for their first shows of 2010. Any one of these shows could feature a 2010 top ten dog and you can get a chance to say, "I saw him way back when." Visit your local AKC dog show this weekend.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

We have just been advised that AKC has revised its end of year numbers and we now have a couple of changes in the 2009 Top Ten Dogs All Breeds.

CH Ripsnorter’s Mt View Lookout(Photo by Christina Freitag)

The previous tabulation omitted the Sporting Group Three award to the German Wirehaired Pointer, CH Ripsnorter’s Mt View Lookout, from the December 4th South Dade Kennel Club show in Miami FL. The addition of the award was good enough to move the GWP, Scout, from the eleventh spot into the ninth spot with 29,046 points, dropping the Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin Tug, with 29,013, to tenth and the Bulldog, CH Kepley’s Showbiz Razzle Dazzle, with 28,959 to eleventh.

Scout finished the year with 15 all breed BIS, 76 Sporting Group firsts, and a BISS at the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America’s National Specialty in October. Our congratulations to breeders Helen Witt, Claire Wisch, & Kelly Wish, owners Kiki Courtelis, Joyce Wilkinson, & Helen & Jim Witt, and handler Frank Murphy on an outstanding year.

Also revised is the point count for the Toy Poodle, CH Smash Jp Moonwalk. The prior total had double counted Walker’s Toy Group One prize at the 2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. His revised total of 38,642 drops him to sixth place behind the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH J’Cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice, now in the number five spot with 38,982.

In a world where Olympic Gold Medals are awarded by a 0.01 second margin, we should not be surprised that these dogs were separated by such slim margins. Notwithstanding the dominance of our dominant number one dog, we thing 2009 will be remembered as a fiercely competitive year that went down to the wire. And now it’s 2010.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Because of the way the holidays fell this year, we find ourselves in the unusual position of having a weekend free of family obligations and dog shows. That’s right, there are no AKC dog shows this weekend. Well, this leaves us to find ways to entertain ourselves and our faithful readers. For us it means we have more time to look at our upcoming shows.

Postcard Perfect Palm Springs California

Now, many of you are aware of the impact the next six weeks will have on our 2010 season. But for the average exhibitor/fancier we are kicking back, recovering from the end of year celebrations and contemplating the new year. Well, while you ruminate on the upcoming season consider this. By mid February, we will have some clear front runners for the 2010 top ten. We start Thursday in the California dessert where there will be 30 limited breed & specialties in preparation for the nation’s single largest shows, the Palm Springs Kennel Club’s two shows in Indio on Saturday & Sunday. Approaching 3,000 dogs in competition on both days, a group placement can be worth as much as a BIS later in the year. A dog placing in the groups at both the limited breed shows and the two main events could collect as many as 2,000 points without winning a BIS.

Portland Oregon Waterfront

Rivaling Palm Springs in size are the Portland OR shows starting on Thursday, January 21st. The four shows hosted by the Tualatin Kennel Club & the Dog Fanciers Association Of Oregon will put 10,000 points up for grabs. 2009 top ten dogs, the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, & the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, CH Rokeena Carte Blanche, got head starts on the rest of the top ten with BIS wins in Portland in 2009. But for sheer volume, you can’t beat the ten shows in Brooksville FL north of Tampa Bay running from the 14th through the 24th. With over 15,000 points up for grabs, a good showing there could keep a dog in the top ten for the first half of the year. Five of our 2009 top ten picked up substantial points in last years’ January Florida circuit.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge Tampa Bay Florida

So if you want to know Whom to Watch at Westminster, take a close look at these three sites this month. We will have all the back stories right here as they happen.

NUMBER EIGHT

NUMBER NINE

NUMBER TEN

SHOW INFO

******************

The author has been attending dog shows as a spectator and exhibitor for over 45 years. He is a retired management consultant who has advised multiple organizations affiliated with the AKC and the Cat Fanciers Association on business management, long range planning, customer service, and legislative matters. After 25 years of living in the big cities of New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC, he now resides in his hometown of Memphis, TN.

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

We love to get e-mail from our readers. Send us your show reports, photos of your wins, and any other interesting tidbits you want to share with our readers. E-mail us at bill38112@aol.com